


Refuge

by pakunoduh



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Gen, asra is not good with anything, idk what i should tag this as, its some sads friends, muriel is a soft man
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-19
Updated: 2017-10-19
Packaged: 2019-01-19 19:47:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12416904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pakunoduh/pseuds/pakunoduh
Summary: Asra returns to Vesuvia after a pilgrimage and decides to visit an old friend before returning homethank you @greywardenblue for beta-ing this for me <3





	Refuge

The white haired magician stood on the edge of town, hat fluttering in the breeze as he looked out towards the woods. His familiar jostled under his scarf in the cold air and he cooed reassurances at the snake before his violet gaze flitted among the trees. Asra was a bit early, he knew, but he couldn’t, _wouldn’t,_ go back to the shop just yet, his mind wasn’t in the right state to see his apprentice just yet. No, he would wait to finish this final stop before returning to them.

Faust perked out of her burrow in his scarf, tongue tasting the air as she gazed transfixed on a specific portion of the forest’s edge.

There.

A smile spread about his face and a lumbering figure stepped out of the treeline. The massive frame rang out heavy foot falls as it approached the fortune teller, the sound of chains clinking whispered in Asra’s ear. He stood patiently as the hooded man continued his way, features becoming clearer as he neared.

“Muriel.” Asra said warmly in greeting, a hand reaching out as his hulking friend stilled before him. 

The giant took the outstretched hand, his own dwarfing the tanner one in his grasp. Asra could have sworn there was the faintest blush across his weather worn face before a deep base spilled into the twilight, “Hello, Asra.” 

“How are you?” the magician asked. 

“I am.” the giant responded.

A sad smile tugged at Asra’s lips as he looked up at his companion, “How are your chicken then?”

Muriel perked up as much as the man could, meaning his shoulders weren’t _quite_ as hunched, “They are not mine.” he responded, green eyes lighting slightly, “But one of the hens hatched her brood so I now have 30.” 

“And does your wolf friend protect them for you?” 

“If she feels inclined,” Muriel’s head turned back towards the woods, the faint figure of said wolf standing in the shadows. “She hasn’t eaten any of them yet.” 

Asra lifted a hand towards the wolf and nodded to his friend, “I hope she continues to be so kind.” 

“Inanna is an animal,” the man speaks, voice lowering as he continues to look at the forest, “she will do what she wishes.” 

“And you'll continue to let her, even at the expense of your back.” Asra teased. 

“You know she has bad joints.” Muriel looked anywhere but the magician, his cheeks flushing in the sunset. 

Asra chuckled with a warm smile, "People are not always so thoughtful as you are.” 

The giant man blinked at him, “Why do you think I stay in the woods?” 

Another laugh lefr Asra's lips as he motioned towards the treeline, “Would you show me your new charges?” 

Muriel stopped for a moment before nodding, “Not for long though, you have business you are avoiding.” He accused while walking back towards the woods. 

The pair made their way back to the pines, the magician nodding at the beast beside him as he crossed into the shadows with Muriel. The wolf stared at him for a moment before turning, trotting up to Muriel’s large stride and began ignoring Asra’s existence. Faust wiggled around the fortune teller’s neck and poked her face out again, tasting the new air before turning her gaze to her master. The snake turned her head to the side as if questioning what they were up to.

“Don’t worry.” Asra stroked her head with his index finger, “We’ll be home soon.” 

Faust’s excitement was palpable as she burrowed back into Asra’s clothing, her cold scales tensing the magician’s shoulders for a moment before it adjusted to his own body temperature. He turned his focus back to his friend’s back, who was now leagues further ahead of the fortune teller than he was comfortable with. Asra picked up the pace, weaving through trees and overstepping roots as he followed the unseen path Muriel was following back to his cabin. 

A half hour’s time later and the trees thinned out to a small clearing, a cabin surrounded by dozens of birds greeting them. Most of them didn’t notice Muriel as he walked past the pecking things, but as soon as they caught wind of the wolf, a choir of squawks and a flurry of feathers moved through the area and rushed back towards their roosts. 

The wolf paid them no mind as she did with the human trailing behind her, huffing a breath through its nose as it trekked through the clearing. Inanna almost looked with disdain at the fleeing poultry and it followed the towering man towards the entrance of the cabin. Muriel turned towards Asra’s dawdling figure, gaze downcast at him as he got to his door, “Tea?” he asked. 

Asra took his gaze from the chickens and looked back at his friend. “Thank you.” he responded with a nod, reaching the cabin’s door as his companion dipped inside. 

The magician stepped into the cabin and was met with an open sitting area, a fire smoldering in the makeshift fireplace across the room, warmth radiating through the tiny building. Myrrh permeated every inch of the space, wafting in the air and immediately smoothing the tension in Asra's shoulders. Muriel lowered his hood to reveal his limp, greasy dark hair. The man leaned over a table in the far corner, smashing herbs and spices before throwing them into a small kettle. The towering figure turned and nodded his head towards the furs settled in front of the fire place as he moved towards it.

The fortune teller took a seat as the wolf walked in circles before settling her weight onto the floor beside the fireplace, her massive frame blocking the walkway to the embers to the right. Muriel nudged the wolf’s face gently with his booted foot so he could pass, the muddy brown fur on the wolf’s nose curling back as he showed her irritation at the gesture. The creature huffed once more before doing as she was prompted, shifting slightly to lay her large head on her paws, blinking gaze finding Asra and the shifting mass under his clothing. An ear flicked as she noticed it, but the wolf made no other sign of moving from where she laid. 

Muriel set the pot down over the fire and threw another log on it before making the wood floor groan as he sat beside Asra. His elbows fell on his knees as he leaned forwards, gaze fixed at the fire. Silence filled the space while the tea began heat, the pair comfortable as the flames grew and licked the sides of the pot.

“You’re hiding from them, aren’t you?” a rumble sounded from Asra’s side as he peaked over in surprise. 

“What do you mean, Muriel?” he asked, his voice far too innocent to be sincere. 

“Asra,” the large man warned and sat up, turning his body towards his friend, “don’t think me a fool.” 

The magician looked down, properly chastised, “You’re right, I’m sorry.” 

“Why are you hiding?” his friend asked again, more forceful this time. 

“I’m afraid I’m not,” he said, a tremor barely visible in his hands, “I don’t think I can keep seeing them as we are.” 

“As you have to be.” the dark haired man sighed and leaned back again, “There is a reason you have to lie, Asra.”

“But I can feel the lies crumbling in my hands.” The fortune teller’s hands were shaking at this point, shoulders following suit as he stared wide at the floor. “There are only so many excuses I can say before I run out,” he hung his head, voice barely above a whisper, “before I’m rejected again.”

A scarred, tough hand came into his blurring vision and Asra turned towards the warmth hovering by his left side. Muriel looked back at him, his face nearly the same as it always was, this time melancholy shadowing his worn features.

“Breathe.” the giant man said as he slowly shifted Asra until he was fully resting on the man, his shoulders shook even more as the hysteria started to set it, “Focus on your heart beat.”

Asra snuffled into the dark cloak against his face and twisted his frame to press himself closer into Muriel’s side. Fingers clenched into the soft fabric as the cabin owner took the other into a one armed embrace, the weight of his forearm falling onto the fortune teller’s side. Muriel clutched his friend to his side as the other’s emotions overtook them, tears spilling from Asra’s eyelashes to Muriel’s collarbone. Inanna's head rose at the change in emotion, ears lifting towards the magicians. Muriel glanced down at her and placed his head lightly on on top of the sobbing magician’s.

The pair sat there for a while, steady breathing and wet gasps contrasting each other while the tea began to burn in the fireplace. The screaming steam startled Asra out of Muriel’s shoulder and he coughed a laugh out at his own jumpiness.

“I’m sorry.” he pulled away and swiped at his eyes as Muriel continued to stare at him, “Aren’t you going to get the tea?”

“That’s not important right now.” the man responded as the wolf yelped at the fireplace.

“Please, you don’t want to ruin your brew.” Asra said shakily as he moved himself away from his friend. He gave the man a pitiful smile as he gestured towards the whistling kettle.

Muriel stared at him for another moment before he sighed, bracing his arm behind him to push himself into standing. He lumbered over to the fire, footfalls echoing through the building as he brought two tea cups from.the cupboards. He grabbed the top of the kettle and pulled it from the flame, the metal quieting as it cooled. The man gently placed the spout inside the cups and poured. 

As he turned around, he saw Asra’s familiar sneak out from under the magician’s scarf. Faust swayed slightly and stuck her tongue out towards her master’s face, tongue tasting his tears. She nudged into his face and licked at him again, the snake showing as much concern on her features as a snake could. The fortune teller spoke quietly to her, assuring her he was fine with another sad smile on his soft face. Muriel felt an ache as he watched Asra comfort his pet with tears still streaking his face.

“Here.” He held out some tea to the magician, the spiralled runes painted on his fingers dancing as his hands closed around the cup.

The tea wafted into his face and Asra signed, bringing the warm liquid to his lips and slowly slipping its contents, “Thank you.” He looked up through his wispy locks at the moving figure above him, the warm tea helping to soothe his heartache.

Muriel settled down with his own mug besides Asra and drained his drink, eyes casted over to Asra as he stared into his drink.

“When you do you plan on returning to them?” he asked as he surveyed him, “You will have to eventually.”

Asra through him a weak smile, “Are you sure about that?” he asked without bite.

“You will.” Muriel throws him a steady gaze, “You will do what you know you must.”

“Can my duty wait one more night?” The magician whispered, his eyes losing focus as he spoke mostly to himself.

“Yes.”

Asra’s gaze cleared as he stared at Muriel with confusion. He hadn’t been expecting an answer, let alone that one.

“Are you growing softer in your old age?” he mused, eyes softening in the firelight.

“I have always been soft when it comes to you.” Muriel leaned forwards and pressed a kiss to Asra’s forehead, the brown skin soft beneath his chapped lips. “I doubt that will ever change.”

Asra lifted a calloused hand to Muriel’s cheek to stop him from retreating. His thumb caressed the man’s high cheekbone, “Thank you.” he spoke sincerely, the moment waxing intimate as the magician leaned his forehead against his friend’s, “You are too good for me.”

Muriel sighed as his eyes meet his companion’s, features softening once more, “I know.”

**Author's Note:**

> this was meant to be pure fluff where did I go wrong
> 
> comments and critiques are appreciated! thank you for reading! 
> 
> find me @jvdal.tumblr.com !


End file.
